Armament structure



Feb. 19, 1946. J. H. wlLsoN 2,395,310

` ARMAMET STRUCTRE l Filed sept. 10 ,1 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb. 19, 1946. H WILSQN 2,395,310

ARMAMENT STRUCTURE Filed sept. 1o, 1942 3 sheets-Sheena IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIVIIIIII Patented Feb. 19, '1946 S 'l'ES TENT GFFICE 3 Claims.

The present invention relates to armament structures and particularly to static or permanently placed fortifications.

For the defense of harbors, cities, depots, and the like, numerous types of permanent fortifications have heretofore been designed or suggested and many have been placed in actual use, as is well known. The problem of defending aircraft landing fields, however, is one which has only comparatively recently been presented and as yet no entirely satisfactory type of defense armament structure primarily intended for the effective defense of an aircraft landing field has been perfected. In a. well defended airfield the landing runways themselves should be made unusable by enemy aircraft at any time while at the same time they should be capable of being used by aircraft of the defending forces at all times except when the threat of enemy landings exists and the runways are not in use by the home forces. It of course has been suggested that air elds may be rendered unserviceable to enemy aircraft by placing objects of various kinds, such for instance as trucks and automobiles, about the field at various points and particularly across the runways. When a runway is so blocked it does, of course, become unusable, but it becomes unusable to friend and foe alike and a very considerable amount of time must be expended in the removal of the objects placed on the runways before the runways can be used again by defending planes. Various modified forms of this obstacle placing system have` been suggested and tried out, but for the most part those concerned with the defense of airiields have deemed it best to protect the field by concealment, wherever possible, and by means of batteries of guns of large and small caliber located at various points around the iield and to the sides of the runways. Such defensive means cannot always be effective to prevent enemy landings and it is deemed to be necessary in order to positively prevent the occurrence of such landings to actually render the runways unusable. Furthermore it is highly desirable to have positioned at all times, closely adjacent the runways, `guns of various types, particularly machine guns for repelling air borne troops, and anti-tank guns for destroying attaching vehicles.

In accordance with the present invention an improved air field defensive armament of the static or permanently placed type is provided. It is so constructed as to embody the superior points of advantage of the two types of defensive means heretofore employed, i. e., gun emplacements and runway obstructing articles without, however,

having the disadvantgaes of either. In a preferred form of the invention a compartment for a gunner is created beneath the level of the surface of the air field, within the limits of a runway and better still at the intersection of two runways, the compartment having heav'y walls of steel or concrete of sufcient strength to protect the occupant against injury due to the explosion of bombs or shell fire, except under direct hits, and having the upper surface of its roof or top in the plane of the runway. The roof of the compartment is provided with an aperture of substantial size within which is positioned a vertically adjustable turret which is also rotatable about a vertical axis. The turret top is flat4 so that, when the turret is in its lowermost position, the upper surface thereof lies in the plane of the eld or runway and olers no hindrance to the free movement of aircraft along the runway in landingn or taking olf. This is the normal position of the turret and the position which it will occupy at all times except when it is desired to render the runways unusable and to place the field in condition for defense against the air borne troops or land vehicles such as tanks. When attack threatens the turret is elevated by a mechanism under' the control of its occupant and immediately becomes an obstruction of such size and character as to make it impossible for an airplane to safely make a landing. Elevation of the turret likewise uncovers a gun port in its side wall through which the occupant of the turret may direct a gun, such as a machine gun or an antitank gun, for the purpose of destroying enemy troops or enemy war vehicles of any kind which may have been landed from the air by any method or which may have been driven onto the field.

The turret elevating mechanism is so designed and constructed that, after elevation, the turret may be rotated in order that a gun projecting through the gun port may be trained in any vdesired direction. It is preferably provided with an aperture in its top through which an observation instrument may be passed so that an unobstructed View in all direction may be obtained by the occupant, even when the turret is in lowered position. A

As it is possible that a defensive structure of the type described may be attacked from many sides at once and put out of action despite the efforts of its occupant, it is so designed that it may be quickly and positively lowered to inoperative position upon the appearance of overwhelming forces. It is also provided with auxiliary 1means to enable the occupant, after retraction oi the turret in the face of overwhelming enemy forces, to repel attempts of any such forces to destroy the structure by locally attacking the turret top with explosives or poison gas. Thus, when the turret is lowered it might be a comparatively easy task to destroy it and its occupant unless means is provided for keeping the attackers at a distance. Naturally, the retracted turret presents no target for guns, lyingv completely below thev level of the ground surface, and the turret and its compartment cannot be destroyed unless attacked by persons who closely approach it.

In accordance with the invention auxiliary means is provided for projecting horizontally over the upper surface Vof the turret, when retracted, or in any direction desired, a flame or a stream of bullets from a machine gun, or both. Means is also associated with the turret for blowing away with compressed air any gases which would otherwise tend to flow into the turret and compartment either through the crevices in the turret top or through the crevices of the auxiliary means just referred to. By providing'atur ret structure of the type described a very considerable portion of a relatively large air field can be effectively guarded by a single defending soldier and by the use of a relatively few of such structures it will be possible to defend against enemy attacks an air eld of large size. Where more than one turret structure is employed they may be interconnected by passageways and, where one only is used a passageway beneath the ground level may be provided to permit the entry and exit of a defending soldier regardless` of conditions upon the surface of the field.

A preferred formof the invention will be described in detail and is illustrated in the accom panying drawings.y It will be appreciated, however, that in adapting the invention for use in various localities and for special purposes, the details of design and arrangement of its component elements `may be substantially modified Without departurey from the spi-ritV of the invention.

In the drawings:

In Figure l of. thev drawings, the level of the. surarmament structure showing the compartment and the turret associated therewith, the turret being in elevated or operative position;

Figure 2 is a schematic view of a fluid pressure-operated mechanism for eiecting vertical movement of the turret;

Figure A3 is a top plan view of the compartment showing the turret top centrally located;

Figure 4 is a section online. 4 4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a section on line 5-5 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is an axial section through one of the auxiliary elements, the element being shown to be adapted for use, in association with a machine gun;

Figure 7 isa similar view, the auxiliary de-v fensive element, however, being in this case adapted to be used in association with a name projector;

Figure 8 shows a similar element provided with a periscope device; and

Figure 9 is a section on line 9-9 oi Figure 3.

InFigure l of the drawings, the level of the surface of the ground, which .may bethe runway of an air field or any other field, roadway or street which is to be defended with the aid of a structure embodying the features of the invention, is indicated by the numeral IG. Located wholly beneath the level of the surface III is a compartpump may be employed for this purpose.

ment for the occupancy of one or more defending soldiers, the thick heavy wall of the compartment being indicated at II, the wall including a cylindrical part I2 which comprises the, side Wall and the relatively at top I3 and floor I4. The side wall I2 or floor I i may be provided with an aperture for the entrance and exit of a soldier and the top I3 is provided with a central cylindrical aperture within which is positioned the turret structure l5. The compartment walls may be 'of reinforced concrete or steel but, in any event, are sufficiently heavy to protect the occupant of the compartment against bombs or projectiles other than against direct hits by bombs or projectiles of large caliber. The top of the compartment may advantageously be armored, as for instance by'a plate i6 of steel and, encircling the turret structure I5, is a relatively heavy metallic ring I1 the upper surface of which is flush with the surface of plate I6, the turret being guided in its vertical movements by this encircling stationary ring.

The turret itself is of simple construction, including a cylindrical side wall 2!! and a at'circular steel plate 2l secured to the top of the cylindrical portion 20, the diameter of the top plate 2 I being slightly greater than the diameter of the cylinder 2# to provide the annular overhanging portion or flange 2 Ia. The turret supporting and adjusting means includes four vertically disposed parallel posts 23 the 'upper ends of which are secured to the annular lower edge of the cylindrical portion 2B of the turret and the lower ends oi which are rigidly mounted upon a platform 24. The platform 2li is in turn mounted upon the upper end of a piston rod Z to the lower end of which is alxed the piston 26 slidably engaging the inner wall surface of the vertically disposed cylinder 21. The piston 26 and hence piston rod 25 and the superposed turret supporting structure and turret may be vertically moved at the will of the operator, with the aid of fluid pressure means,

for creating an increased pressure below or above the piston as desired and evacuating the uid from the cylinder upon the oppositeside of the piston,

In Figure 2 of the drawings the fluid pressure mechanism is schematically illustrated, a liquid such as oil being the fluid which is caused to make actual contact with the piston 26 and air under pressure being preferably employed to impart pressure to the liquid. Thus a closed storage tank for liquid is indicated at 3U and a conduit for leading air under pressure into this tank, at the top thereof, is indicated at 3 I The means for placing air under compression is not illustrated, but it will be understood that any suitable A hand operated valve 32 may be closed in the event that the air pump becomes inoperative and the air pressure in chamber 3G created by means of an emergency hand pump such as indicated at 33. Liquid in the bottom of chamber S may flow out of this chamber through duct or conduit 34, past check valve 35 to a manually operable control valve which is diagrammatically illustrated and is indicated at. 36. The valve member proper of valve 35 is indicated at 3l and the valvey casing 38 is shown to have four ports indicated respectively 38a, 38o, 38e, and 38d. With the valve member 3l in the position in which it is shown in Figure 2, the ports 38a and 38h are in communication and fluid under pressure may then flow from tank 30 through pipe 34 to the valve and throughthe valve to pipe or conduit 40 which is in communication with cylinder 27 at its upper end. Likewise ports 38e and 38d are in communication so that liquid from cylinder 21 and below piston 26 may escape through conduit 4 passing through valve 36 from port 38d to port 38o and thence into conduit 42 by means of which it is conducted into an open tank 43 comprising a storage tank. With the valve member 31 in the position shown pressure will be exerted above the piston to force the piston down and the turret will thus be lowered and the liquid escaping from the lower end of the piston returned to open tank 43. If the valve member 31 be so rotated the ports 38a and 38d are brought into communication, and likewise ports 38h and 38e, fluid under pressure will be conducted through pipe 4| to the lower end of the cylinder 27 and the piston and turret elevated, liquid escaping from the upper end through pipe 4|) and passing to tank 43. i After repeated operations of the turret elevating and lowering mechanism it will be necessary to return some of the liquid collected in tank 43 back to the pressure chamber 30 and to eiTect this a hand pump 45 is provided, the intake of this pump being connected to tank 43 by conduit 46 provided with check Valves 41 and 48 and the outlet port of the hand pump being connected to the pressure chamber 30 by conduit 49 having associated therewith the check valve 50. It will thus be seen that none of the operating liquid is wasted but will be used over and over again. If desired the pressure tank 3|! can be by-passed and vertical movements of the piston 26 and the turret can be effected by fluid placed under pressure directly by a hand pump, such as indicated at f 52. The intake of pump 52 is connected to the conduit 46 by a tube or duct 53, a check valve 54 being associated with duct 53 and the outlet of hand pump 52 is connected by conduit 55 to duct 34 just beyond check valve 35, a check valve 56 being associated with conduit 55. A control valve is indicated at and this valve is normally positioned to prevent entry of liquid into the duct 53 and permit passage of liquid from tank 43 to chamber 30. 'Ihe valve, however, may be manipulated to cut oif communication between tank 43 and chamber 33 and to open communication between conduit 46 and conduit 53, which adjustment is made when it is desired to eifect the elevation and lowering of the turret by means of the hand operated pump 52. In either event the turret is not only elevated by fluid pressure, but is positively lowered by uid pressure and may be quickly raised or lowered even when compressed air is not available to place the operating fluid under pressure.

A feature of the invention consists in the support of the turret structure by means which will not only facilitate rapid vertical adjustment of the turret but which will likewise permit the turret to freely revolve. Thus, in `the form of the invention which has been selected for disclosure the piston 26 is freely rotatable in the cylinder 2l' and hence the turret as a whole is freely rotatable. This is essential in order that the gun port, which is indicated at 20a, may be angularly adjusted to permit discharge of projectiles therethrough in any desired direction. The means for rotating the turret is so constructed as to permit its rotation in any position to which it may be vertically moved, except only when it is completely lowered. This means includes the hand wheel 60 within convenient reach of the turret occupant, who will normally be seated upon the support or seat 6| or standing upon the platform Y5? 62. The hand Wheel 60 is fixed upon the inner end of the shaft 6| rotatably supported in a bearing 62a secured upon post 23, a sprocket 63 fixed on shaft 6| being operatively connected to a sprocket 64 fixed upon a shaft 65 disposed below and parallel to shaft 6|, by means of a sprocket chain 66.

Shaft 65 is supported in spaced bearings in a frame 6'! mounted upon the end of a bracket 63 secured to the lower end of turret post 23. Within frame 6l and fixed upon shaft 65 is a bevel gear 69 the teeth of which mesh with those of a bevel wheel 10 xed upon the lower end of a vertically extending shaft 'Il the upper end of which is rotatably supported in a bearing 'l2 secured to the side wall of the turret. By rotating hand wheel'i the shaft 1| is caused to rotate about a vertical axis. The entire turret revolving mechanism so far described will rise and fall vertically with the turret structure as a whole.

Splined upon shaft 'Il is a shrouded pinion 75, the teeth of which are in mesh with those of a circular rack 'I6 which is fixed or rigidly supported upon the compartment wall directly below the ring I1. As the circular rack 'I6 is stationary at all times, it is clear that the operator may revolve the turret by revolving the hand wheel 66 and thus cause the pinion 15 to move along the rack 16, the disc-like shrouding elements 15a of the pinion preventing vertical movement of the pinion relatively to the rack. By rotating the turret a gun, for instance a machine gun such as indicated in dotted lines at 'I8 in Figure 1, may be revolved so as to sweep over all areas of the iield adjacent the turret, or a gun of larger caliber may be projected through the port 20a and maneuvered at the will of the operator.

When the turret is lowered the overhanging peripheral edge Zla or flange of the top plate 2| of the turret 'is received Within an annular groove formed in the turret encircling ring I1, as most clearly shown in Figure 9. While the distance between the edge face of ange 2|a and the vertical wall of groove 80 is relatively slight adjacent the upper faces of plate 2| and ring Il, each is preferably cut away below so as to form a circular cavity 8|. Leading to cavity 8| is a duct 82 through which air under pressure may be led, to be discharged into this cavity. When compressed air from a. suitable source is so discharged into the cavity 8| it will eventually nd its way upwardly and emerge as an annular jet around the periphery of plate 2| thus blowing away from the joint between the periphery of plate 2| and the ring any gas which might otherwise tend to flow downwardly through this crevice and eventually make its way into the compartment. An occasional application of compressed air in this manner will prevent the inflow of even the heavier gases in amounts sufcient to endanger the occupant of the compartment. In order to insure that compressed air must flow upwardly in the specified manner rather than ini wardly into the compartment through any gap or crevice between the horizontal mutually facing surfaces of flange 2|a and the bottom of groove 80 of ring l1, a tapered upwardly projecting rib 83 is formed on ring and a downwardly flaring annular groove 84 is formed in the undersurface of flange 2|a.

When the turret is lowered the upwardly tapering circular rib 83 enters the downwardly aring annular groove 84 and these two inter-engaging parts together constitute a seal, preventing the passage of compressed air. A ring of resilient 84, if desired, to compensate for any possible unevenness in the faces of the groove and rib. If desired, anti-friction devices such as indicated generally at 05 in Figure 9 may be employed to laterally support the cylindrical wall of the turret and maintain the turret in axial alignment with cylinder 21 at all times. These anti-friction devices may be formed in various way and that illustrated is shown by way of example only, comprising a ball bearing 86 mounted upon a stationary short cylindrical member 01 secured to the underside of ring I1. The outer race of the ball bearing bears against the cylindrical face of the turret and when a plurality of these antifriction devices are employed the turret will remain effectively centered both during its vertical adjustments or rotation.

In order that the turret occupant may have a View in any desired direction, the top plate 2| is apertured at 2lb and through this aperture an observation device such as a periscope |00, indicated in dotted lines in Figure l, may be projected. In order to seal the aperture 2|b, eccentric disc is provided, this disc being supported by a circular flanged member |02 secured to the underside of plate 2| and having therein an aperture |03 which is adapted to be brought into register with the aperture 2lb of plate 2| to permit the passage of the observation device, or to berotated so that aperture |03 is out of register with aperture 2lb, thus sealing the last mentioned aperture.

As previously stated it is highly desirable to provide, in addition to the turret structure dcscribed, auxiliary devices which the compartment occupant may manipulate after he has lowered or retracted the turret to prevent the enemy from directly attacking the turret top from above. Preferably four such appliances are employed, each being generally indicated at |05 in the drawings. Each of these devices includes a tubular member |06 closed at its upper end and open at its lower end. The upper end closure |01 has a peripheral flange, the lower face of which is frusto-conical and tapers downwardly, as indicated at |01c, this frusto-conical face being adapted to seat upon the upwardly flaring frusto-conical seating surface |08a 0f an annular member |08 secured within an aperture |09 formed in the turret encircling ring |1. When tubular member |06 is in its lowermost position and surface lilla thereof is seated upon the seating surface |0811 o-f member |08, the upper face of the top |01 of the tube lies flush with the surface of the turret encircling ring |1 or, in other words, lies ush with the surface of the field, which is indicated by the numeral |0. When elevated, however, as indicated in Figure 6, a port ||0 formed in the cylindrical side wall of the tubular member is exposed and through this port projectiles or liquid fuel may be directed,

It will be observed that the lower end of tubular member lee is enlarged and that this enlarged portion llla, which is cylindrical, lies within a short cylinder attached as by welding to the lower end of a tube H2, the upper end of which is secured to the previously mentioned insertl.

A conduit ||4 is provided f or leading fluid under pressure into the interior of cylinder at the upper end thereof and packing rings I5 and ||6 are provided to prevent escape of liquidl from the cylinder. When fluid under pressure is introduced into the cylinder through duct I|4 a pressure will be exerted upon the annular surface of cushioning material may be housed within groove.

theuppc end ofi theenlargement' iildand member |06 will be forced downwardly until the surfacesg|01d and |0Ba are in'contact', thus effectively closing the port ||0. For the purpose of elevating the tubular member |06 handles ||1 are provided, these handles extending outwardly from a central ring or hub ||8 which is secured to member |06 just below the enlargement |06a by a threaded nut i9. A compressed air duct iS indicated at and it is seen that this duct opens intoY an annular channel |2| formed in block |08 and encircling the aperture within which tubular member |06 is located. Air under pressure is discharged into annular duct |2| for either of twopurposes, i. e., to blow from the frustoconical seating surface |08 any dirt or particles Y' which may have been collected and which may tend to prevent the occupant of the structure from completely lowering the tube |06 or alternatively, to blow from the vicinity of the joint between the surface |01 and |08 any gas which might be flowing over the field to be defended. By occasional application of compressed air at appropriate times these two functions may be adequately accomplished. ,Y

Tube |536 may receive any one of a number of instrumentalities for defense. It is shown in Figure 8 to have received within it a periscope device |25 with lower and upper mirrors |26 and |21, respectively, the occupant of the compartment being enabled to observe by means of the periscope what is happening on the field above, in any direction, tube |06 being freely rotatable. Or there may be inserted within tube member |06 a second tube, indicated at |28 in Figure 6, having secured within the same at its upper end a spatter plate |29 for small arms ammunition such as might issue from the muzzle of a machine gun |30 directed upwardly through the tube to the approximate Iposition shown in Figure 6. The spatter plate |29 will deect bullets from gun |30 through the firing port ||0 in a substantially horizontal direction. In Figure 7 there is illus@ trated a flame-throwing device indicated by the numeral 13|, which may be of any suitable type having a liquidfuel nozzle |32 at its upper end and horizontally disposed so as to direct a stream of fuel through the port I0. A sparking element |33 causes this fuel to ignite and hence an elongated horizontally projected flame will result. Other types of weapons may be used in combination with the vertically adjustable tubular members |06 the purpose of all of which is to enable the occupant of the compartment to defend himself and his armamentstructure when the turret is retracted.

Fluid pressure conduit Ill associated with each of these devices is preferably supplied with fluid under pressure from the turret operating fluid pressure system previously described, and which is illustrated inFigure 2. Thus each such duct I4 may be connected to the pressure line 34 previously referred to, as by means of a manifold |35 and duct or conduit |36. Valves |31 control the flow of fluid under pressure from manifold |35 to the several conduits H5 and each of these valves is so designated that, when turned in one direction, there is free communication between the associated duct im and the manifold |35 and, when turned in the opposite direction, this communication is interrupted and the interior of duct ||4 is brought into communication with the outside atmosphere to permit the pressure there in to fall and thus make it possible for the come partment occupant to.v manually elevate the asso ciated tubular member |36. The wastage may, if desired, be returned to the open tank 43 by conduits which are not illustrated. If desired, of course, air under pressure instead of liquid may be transmitted through the ducts I I4 for the operation of the tubular members l and in this event no return line will be necessary.

The compartment may be provided With one or more oxygen flasks such as indicated at M0, a bench or bunk such as indicated at IM, receptacles for supplies, telephones, lighting appliances, and any other devices useful to its occupant.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. An armament structure of the type described comprising, in combination, a turret mounted for rotation and vertical movement, said turret having a peripheral outwardly projecting flange at its top, a stationary compartment the top of which is provided with a turret encircling member having a circular recess to receive said ange when the turret is in lowermost position, and means for discharging air under pressure into said recess, for the purpose set forth.

2. An armament structure for the protection of air fields comprising a compartment having an aperture in its top encircled by a horizontal plate, a turret n said. aperture, means supporting the turret for vertical adjustment whereby the turret top may be positioned in or above the plane of said plate, and a vertically disposed and vertically adjustable tubular element having its upper end closed and a discharge port in its side, said element being located laterally of said turret and extending through a port in said plate, said port being exposed when the element is elevated and covered by said plate when the element is lowered, for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination set forth in claim 2 in which uid pressure operated means is provided for the purpose of forcing the said element into lowered or inoperative position.

JOHN HART WILSON. 

